Horse-collar.



C. ECKERLE.

HORSE COLLAR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.29,1914.

mwmmx Patented July 13, 1915.

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C. ECKERLE.

HORSE COLLAR.

APPLICATION men AUG-29, 19x4.

Patented. July 13, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2 C. ECKERLE abto'wsmg COLUMBIA PLANOHRAPH c0., WASHINGTON, D. c.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 13, rare.

Application filed August 29, 1914. Serial N 0.859340.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHRISTAV EOKERLE, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Merrill, in the county of Lincoln and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Horse-Collars, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying draw lngs.

This invention relates to improvements in horse collars, and an object thereof is the provision of a device of this character which is simple in construction, and extremely efficient and durable in use.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a horse collar which is so constructed that itwill readily adapt itself to various sizes of necks.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a horse collar which includes a metallic frame consisting of side sections hingedly connected together at one end, the sections supporting pads for engagement with the neck of the animal, improved means being provided for locking the free ends of the sections together.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, to be hereinafter more fully described, claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a rear elevational view of my improved-collar; Fig-2 is a front elevational view thereof; Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4c is an end elevation showing the hinge structure for connecting the sections of the collar together. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the manner of connecting the locking member to the free ends of thesections; Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the locking member; Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of the free end of one of the sections; Fig. 8 is a sectional view on the line 8-8 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 9 is a sectional view on the line 9-9 of Fig. 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the collar comprises a frame which consists of a pair. of metallic side sections 5 which are preferably concave-convex in cross section, the side sections 5 being of substantially the same shape as the sides of an ordinary horse collar. The inner edge of each side plate 5 is provided with a laterally extending flange 6 to which an angular strip 7 is soldered or otherwise secured, the strips 7 supporting the tubular rim 8 which is also constructed of suitable metal. Formed in the side plates adjacent their longitudinal edges are a series of openings 9 which extend the entire length of the plates, and adapted for engagement against the inner faces of the plates are pads which comprise an outer facing of leather 10 and a filling 11 of straw or any other suitable material, the edges of the leather facing also having openings therein adapted to register with the openings 9 in the plates, whereby the pads may be secured to the plates by cords 12 of leather or the like which are passed through the registering openings as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings.

Secured tothe upper edge of each side section 5 is a plate 13, the plate projecting beyond the upper edges of the side plates and being provided with knuckles 14:. Disposed between the upper ends of the side plates are a pair of leaves 15, the opposing edges of the leaves having alined knuckles 16 formed thereon through which a pin 17 extends, to hingedly connect the leaves together, and the outer edges of the leaves are provided with spaced knuckles 18 which are adapted for alinement with the knuckles l'of the plates 13, to receive pins 19 whereby the side plates 5 are hingedly connected to the leaves 15 and to each other. To receive the lower end of the filling 11 of the pads, a cup 20 surrounds the lower end of each side plate, the inner wall of the cups being curved to provide pockets to receive the filling, and the free edge of the inner wall of each cup being provided with a series of openings 21 which register with openings formed in the facing 10 of the pads, the registering openings receiving the cords 9 whereby the filling of the pads is entirely inclosed. Each of the cups is provided with an olfset socket 22, the sockets inclosing the ends of the rims 8, and the end wall of each socket being provided with an elongated opening 23 therein. To lock the free ends of the sections of the collar together, a locking member 24 is provided which is adapted for disposition between the lower meeting ends of the rims 8, the locking member 24 having lugs 25 formed on its ends for engagement through the slots 23, whereby when the member 24 is turned, the sections arelocked together. The locking member 24 is provided with a laterally extending handle 26 which when the locking member is rotated to locked position, is adapted to spring past latches 27 carried on the ends of the plates 5, whereby the handle is maintained between the plates 28 and the latches 27 as shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings, so that accidental rotation of the locking member 'is prevented whereby the sections are maintained in their locked positions.

In the practical use of my device, the lug 25 on one end of the looking member may be normally engaged within one of the slots 23 and when it is desired to engage the collar over the neck of an animal, the sections are'spread apart so that the collar may be moved downwardly over the neck, where-- upon the sections are moved to closed position, the locking member 24: being held so that the other lug 25 is disposed in alinement with the other slot, to engage in the same as the sections are moved to their entirely closed position, whereby upon turning of the locking member to engage the handle 26 thereof betweenthe plates 28 and the latches 27, the sections are secured in their locked positions. By reason of the hinged connection of the leaves 15 with each other and with the plates 13' carried by the side'plates at their upper ends, it will be seen that the collar will closely engage the necks of various sizes of animals, as the sections'thereof at their upper ends may be moved toward or from each other by reason of the hinged connection of the leaves 15. If desired the flanges 6 and the strips 7 may be provided with openings 29 therein whereby suitable sweat pads (not shown) may be detachably secured to the collar by passing leather cords or the like through openings in the sweat-pad and through the openings 29. The openings 29 also serve as ventilator openings when the sweat-pad is not connected to the collar, thereby allowing a quantity of air to pass through the metallic plates to cool the neck of the animal.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is 1. The combination with a collar comprising sections hingedly connected together at one end, of socket members carried by the free ends of the collar having openings in the opposed end walls thereof, a rotatable locking member having lugs upon its opposite ends adapted to be inserted within the openings to engage the inner faces of the end walls of the sockets, said locking member being provided with a finger piece, and catch members carried by the collar adapted to engage the finger piece to retain the locking member in its efi'ective position.

2. The combination with a collar comprising sections hingedly connected together at one end, of socket members carried by the free ends of the sections, a rotatable looking member adapted for engagement within the socket members, a catch member arranged upon each of the free ends of the sections, and stop plates arranged adjacent to the catch members, said locking member being provided with a finger piece, adapted to be positioned between the catch members and the stop plates to retain the looking member in its effective position.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CHRISTAV ECKERLE. Witnesses:

JOSEPH GE'roHELL, CHs. F. RUNGLE.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. 0." 

